L’Albereta Relais & Chateau Review – Romantic Vineyard Resort

L'Albereta Relais & Chateau Review:

A Romantic Vineyard Resort

First Glance

"Relais and Chateux" are a consortium of properties around the world who have banded together under one common maxim of ultra premium hospitality and accommodation.

Love & Lavender's inaugural stay at a Relais & Chateaux proved to be one of our most memorable hotel and honeymoon review stays.

Tucked away on a rolling vineyard hill near the town of Erbusco (Northern Italy), L'Albereta Resort & Spa hides a treasure trove of honeymoon and destination wedding delights.

Drive up the winding, hilley driveway and navigate past towering trees. As you enter the world of L'Albereta, a well-thought out assortment of artwork and decor greet you in the reception area along with friendly staff at the ready.

L'Albereta embodies much of what makes Italy a tantalizing luxury honeymoon destination: a lush vineyard landscape, romantic spaces and ambience, natural outdoor beauty to soak in the warm sun and vista views, along with a smorgasbord of Italian food/wine treats.

Getting Acquainted

Exploring new places is such a treat – especially those perched atop an idylic Italian mountain vineyard!

The broken layout of the L'Albereta building complex ensures you can have a bit of fun exploring this unique resort. A giant indoor pool, sauna, steam room and spa area extend out towards a well manicured lawn area, complete with lounge chairs for sun bathing. Old growth trees tower overhead to provide a natural shade canopy for those of us with fair skin who don't want a sunburn surprise!

Inside, a favorite relaxation spot has to be the Greeneige Lounge and adjoining terraces. Judging by the number of cars in the parking lot, the resort was certainly busy. However, the expansive terrace as well as adjoining lounge cum reading and games room felt as though it was entirely at our disposal.

To that end, an impromptu picnic photo shoot was staged whilst dining al fresco, complete with classic Italian foodie delights! As you can probably tell the views on the upper floor terrace are absolutely breathtaking.

Relax in Style by the Pool and Spa

After a long day of driving, along with a lot of sun, nothing feels better than plunging into a vast indoor swimming pool equipped with five different types of hydromassage, right next to the sauna and Turkish bath.

Of course we indulged in all three!

In addition, a spacious gym right next to the pool area overlooks the beautiful garden grounds.

The Verdict

L'Albereta is more than a wine lovers retreat. As a self-confessed oenophile, Andrew found himself in a state of bliss - surrounded by neat rows of vines that stretched out across the valley towards Lake Iseo and beyond. Meredith particularly loved the resort's spa menu, although limited time meant we did not get to utilize the available treatments.

L'Alberata is a beautiful resort hotel for a destination wedding, honeymoon, or other vacation event and one that we highly recommend.

About the Resort

Over the past 20 years L’Albereta has won numerous prestigious awards from the likes of Condé Nast and other renowned publications. The resort is considered among the upper echelon in the international hotel industry.

Sometimes in life you are lucky enough to land at the home of an acquaintance, or perhaps a friend, and marvel at the natural interior design talent on display. The skills and passion in color choice, furniture, art, and more seem effortlessly integrated into the environment of the home, and you feel as though you had stepped into a home and garden magazine cover photo shoot.

Wandering through the interior passageways and common areas, one gets a sense of the meticulous pains taken by the interior design team to ensure a cohesive vision for the resort.

That's the evocative feeling one gets when strolling through L'Albereta. The sign says luxury resort hotel, but the feeling is a sense of familiarity through the well chosen design elements.

Its 38 elegant rooms and 19 exquisite suites welcome guests from around the world.

The Shops

Beautiful clothing, jewellery and other handcrafted items are presented in display cases tucked neatly into a few alcoves along the main hotel corridor. The pieces seem to call out and entreat guests to enter the boutique shop in order to take a peak at the wares.

La Bottega di Mariella is a hidden gem within the hotel that offers luxury goods curated by manager Giovanna Tredeschi. I have to recommend that those who stay at L'Albereta should really browse the boutique. I have no doubt that you will find a unique item to remember your stay, or find a present for someone special.

The Rooms

We stayed in a classic room boasting a lovely entrance lounge, complete with beautiful tray of fresh fruit and berries. As you can see from some of the photos below, a few of L'Albereta's suites and upscale rooms are definitely worthy of a honeymoon!

A selection of meats, cheeses, breads, and other delicious food will ensure you start your day on a full stomache.

Other Restaurants

Greeneige Lounge

The Greeneige Lounge is an intimate and warm space that guests can enjoy at any time of the day. Relaxing sofas, modern design, and a cozy fireplace are the perfect way to pass the time reading a good book or magazine.

The lounge is an invitation to slow down and enjoy little moments of pleasure -- we certainly did. Perhaps it was the vibe of the lounge and outdoor space that gave us the impetus to create our own impromptu picnic styled shoot. In any event, we spent a number of hours hanging out and enjoying the Greeneige Lounge.

Wellness Restaurant Spa Henri Chenot

Reserved for guests enjoying treatments at the Espace Chenot Health Wellness SPA, the Wellness Restaurant offers a range of menus for those health conscious individuals.

Restaurant Leonefelice

Executive Chef Fabio Abbattista leads the way at Leonefelice and creates cuisine based on the excellence of local northern Italy ingredients.

Location: Torbiato

L'Albereta Relais & Chateaux is located near the small town of Torbiato in Northern Italy. An short drive from airports in either Bergamo, Milan, or Verona, the rolling vineyard hills provide a pleasant driving experience. Both Lake Iseo and Lake Garda can be reached by car for day trips and outdoor activities.

Distances

Orio al Serio International Airport - 31 km

Sarnico (Lake Iseo) - 12 km

Peschiera del Garda (Lake Garda) - 67 km

Milan - 74 km

Weddings at L'Albereta

For those who dream of a wedding ceremony held on the fringe of an Italian vineyard, L'albereta offers numerous vantage points to pronounce your love for one another.

My personal favorite spot is smack dab in the middle of the vineyard, looking back towards the resort (pictured above). A straight pathway intersects at a "T" junction that I foresee as a natural wedding alter location. Guests can sit on chairs, or stand among the vines in an intimate summertime affair.

Real Wedding at L'Albereta

Coming Soon! Check back later for a L'Albereta real wedding feature on Love & Lavender

Disclosure: As is common in the travel industry, the writer was provided with complimentary accommodation for the purpose of review. While it has not influenced this hotel review, LoveAndLavender.com believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest.